Soci Grease
by Party-Shoes16
Summary: The entire gang goes to the Nightly Double where they meet some girls from the West Side who move into the greaser neighborhood around the same time that Johnny and Dally go missing. Could it have something to do with stolen money and a haunted house?
1. Chapter 1

: This story idea is a request by BellaVision. S. E. Hinton owns the Outsiders. Enjoy! :

SOCI GREASE 

Chapter # 1:

It was finally dark enough outside to sneak into the Nightly Double. The shadows of seven hoods crept through a tight opening in the gate that surrounded the parking lot.

They could have paid like other people did, and avoided taking a chance with the law knowing all too well that they would be arrested if caught. They actually had enough money for once to get in without a car, but the "Wanted Dead or Alive" Dallas Winston wouldn't hear of that.

Ponyboy couldn't believe Darry let Dally talk him into this. He was watching him and Sodapop with his very own eyes sneak in the drive in.

One by one they all crawled under the gated fencing that was supposed to keep them from getting into the back of the parking lot. There were always plenty of empty seats just incase a guy took the date a little too far and his girl walked out on him.

They all sat down in the seats. Ponyboy was glad that he hadn't come alone tonight. He was still a little scared after getting jumped the day before, and he would have never remembered to bring a jacket if Darry hadn't nagged him about it.

A Mickey Mouse cartoon came on before the movie feature as it always did.

"All right! It's Mikey Mouse," Two-Bit yelled.

"You can't get enough of that at home, Two-Bit?" Steve said with obvious sarcasm dripping from his tone of voice.

"You mean our house," Sodapop chimed in. "You should be paying rent as much time as you hang around."

"Hey, I spend less time there than Johnnycakes does," Two-Bit snorted.

Johnny said nothing. It was suddenly silent. No one said anything. Dally slapped Two-Bit upside the head, but was interrupted when a big commotion was heard coming from several tuff Mustangs several isles in front of them.

"Hey, I can't here Mickey Mouse!" Two-Bit exclaimed.

A nicely dressed girl slapped the soc she was with hard enough to leave a mark.

"Let go of me you drunkard!" she yelled.

Her boyfriend landed a hard swat on her bottom. A very high pitched yelp escaped from her vocal chords.

"Now you need to behave yourself little girl," he said with a sly smile crossing his face.

"Bob, I told you. I'm not going out with you when you're drunk. I don't like the person you become."

Wild laughter erupted from the group of socials, and no one noticed the police officers that had walked up to them.

"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?" a sudden deep voice asked.

The fuzz stood there holding their flashlights and wooden sticks. They didn't look very happy as if they were suffering from a bad case of too many jelly doughnuts and cups of highly caffeinated coffee.

"No there is not," one of the tallest girls snapped and walked away with the rest of her family and friends.

"Man, that's what I call a show," said Steve.

"It ain't over yet, buddy," Sodapop said. "They're coming our way."

The girls were heading in their direction, smiles gone from their faces and wild strays of hair floating towards the cold wind.

They sat down in front of the gang. Two-Bit licked his lips at the blond in front of him. "Nice," he whispered.

"Time for a little fun," Dally snickered. It was time to pull out all his old tricks. After all, Johnny had to learn sometime. He wondered if Darry might be up to teaching baby brother a few things.

He smirked. "Hey, Darry; tonight you just get to kick back and act like the greasy hood that you are. No old man acts for the little Pony," he teased.

Ponyboy rolled his eyes.

"Ponyboy knows to behave himself, and not get slapped," Darry responded looking at Ponyboy.

Pony smiled. He couldn't believe it. Darry hardly ever played around with him like that anymore.

"Don't worry, Darry," Two-Bit piped in. "The kid wouldn't know what to do with a girl if she came with an instruction booklet." He laughed.

Sodapop jabbed him in the gut from the other side. "You leave my brother alone," he chided.

"Why should I?"

"Because if you don't, I'll pop you in the nose," Soda replied.

One of the soc girls, the pretty blond Two-Bit had been eyeing, turned around and gave them a harsh look.

"Will you can it? Some of us came here to watch a movie, not listen to a bunch of thugs act like clowns rejected by the circus."

"Two-Bit grinned at her. "You're just being nice. We really don't deserve that much credit," he joked.

He laughed, making the girl laugh also. Two-Bit had always been a good icebreaker.

"My name is Sabrina," she said smiling.

"Two-Bit," Two-Bit said happily.

"Is that your real name?" asked Sabrina.

"Ah, no. My real name's Keith, but no one ever remembers that."

The gang all snickered.

"Alright! Time someone besides me got teased about their name," Ponyboy cried out.

"And what is your name," a young girl asked politely.

She had brown hair that was neatly braided into two twin pigtails. The girl wore a pretty yellow dress with matching hair ribbons. Ponyboy thought yellow was his new favorite color.

"I'm Leah," the girl told him shyly.

She blinked her green eyes. Ponyboy felt like he was going to melt. Maybe he could learn to like people with green eyes.

"My name's Ponyboy."

"Would you like to come with me to get some popcorn and Pepsi," Leah asked.

"Sure, I love Pepsi. It's my favorite."

"Mine too," replied Leah.

After they left Soda moved closer to Darry. "Dad did have the talk with Pony?" Sodapop whispered to his older brother.

"I sure hope so," Darry whispered back. "I don't want to do it."

"Well you're not pawning it off on me," Soda said. "I'm the fun brother remember."

"Your brother better not try anything on my sister," a voice interrupted. They looked up. A red headed soc was staring right at them.

"Our brother's fourteen," Darry told her. "I think your sister is safe."

"No one is safe around you hoods, even if she is older," the girl stated flatly.

"How old is she?" Darry asked.

"She's sixteen, the same age I am. We're fraternal twins."

"But you don't look anything alike," Soda protested.

"That's what fraternal means," Darry told him.

"What," Sodapop looked at him confused.

"I'll explain it latter," Darry said with a sigh.

Soda shook his head slightly. "Do you want me to go after them?" he asked the girl.

"Only if I go with you," she said.

Sodapop walked off after her. He looked back at Darry and mouthed the words "I'll keep an eye on him."

AN: Hope you enjoyed it. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter # 2:

**AN: Thanks for the reviews. **

"Cheery, what are you doing here? You don't have to be by my side every second."

"Stop calling me Cheery! You know that the only reason Mama lets you come here is because we always stay together."

"Cheery?" Soda asked.

"Cherry," she said as if correcting his bad English. "My name is Sherry, but I've been nicknamed Cherry because of my red hair. Only Leah calls me Cheery because she always thinks I'm ragging on her."

"You are," Leah made a face.

"Great," Soda whispered in Pony's ear. I'm trying to put the make on a girl who's a female version of Darry."

"That's disgusting," Ponyboy complained.

Sodapop snickered. "We'll see what you think when you start kissing," He said.

They grabbed their popcorn and drinks and walked back to their seats where they found Sabrina sitting in Two-Bit's lap giggling at everything he said as she twisted and twirled her fingers in her blond hair.

"You two want to be alone?" Sodapop asked sarcastically.

"That would be nice," Two-Bit answered. "Would ya mind leaving?"

Sodapop opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Sabrina's high-pitched voice saying, "Let's go somewhere where we can be alone."

She nuzzled Two-Bit, and he winked back at Soda as the two went off somewhere where they could be together privately.

Ponyboy watched them go. It suddenly became very quiet. Then it dawned on him just why that was. He, Soda, Cherry, and Leah were the only ones there. Johnny and Dallas had left with some girls, and even Darry was missing.

Ponyboy was so startled by the realization that he was practically alone with a girl that he liked a whole lot that he tossed the bucket of popcorn all over Leah.

"Great! My brother's always going to be a major head case", Soda thought.

He knew he had told Darry that he'd keep an eye on their little brother, and he was. It was just a little hard sometimes to predict how much he and Darry had sheltered their baby.

"I'm so sorry Leah. I don't know what happened. Let me help you," Ponyboy cried.

Then in trying to help, Ponyboy knocked over the Pepsi, which of course spilled on her pretty yellow dress.

"And here's the end of this date", Cherry thought.

The two teenagers watched Ponyboy make a squabbling fool of himself in front of Leah.

"I'll clean that up too," Pony exclaimed, his eyes bulging.

"This is going so well," Soda thought to himself. "I bet this soci girl, what was her name, umm… Cherry is just dying to make out with me after my kid brother just made a fountain drink and popcorn machine out of her sister."

But to everyone's surprise, Lea just smiled, and dabbed at her dress.

"Ponyboy, would you like to take a walk with me?" she asked sweetly.

Ponyboy just nodded.

"Then let's go," Leah said.

Cherry started to protest, but Soda chose that moment to silence her with a kiss. He figured he might as well while her mouth was open anyway.

Leah and Ponyboy held hands as they walked along side the gated fence outside of the theater. Ponyboy really wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Why hadn't his brothers explained what he's supposed to do on a date? This was a date, wasn't it?

"It's such a nice night out," Leah said.

"Yap," Ponyboy crocked.

They walked along the perimeter of the parking lot. All was silent except for the movie playing, which had been forgotten.

Pony was trying to think of something he should say or do.

"I'm sorry I ruined your dress," he blurted out.

His face burned crimson from embarrassment and humiliation. Why did he just say that?

"It's ok Ponyboy, really. It's cotton fabric, so I can wash it out when Cherry and I get home. My parents are at a meeting tonight so hopefully they won't notice," Leah laughed lightly.

Ponyboy was glad that only the two of them were there in the cool darkness. He couldn't believe they were having a conversation about how to wash her dress. He felt like such a nerd.

Marci slapped Steve across the face.

"What's your problem?" Steve asked. His face burned where she had hit him, and Steve guessed it was turning red.

"Quite touching me," she yelled.

"Why don't you cool off?"

"Maybe I would if you'd act a little more descent."

Decent? Like she would know? Steve felt himself begin to fume. Why was she complaining when she had been willingly kissing him?

Maybe it was him after all. He hadn't exactly been feeling so hot after the beating he had gotten from his dad earlier that day. In a way maybe it was a good thing that things hadn't gone any farther than they did.

Steve and Eavie had decided to take a break after he had supposedly taken things to far with her, but he could still remember how she had gasped in shocked when she had pulled his shirt off only to find his back red and purple from his dad's rage.

Steve slumped his shoulders as he walked away from a maddening soc. Playtime was over.

Darry closed his eyes as Tiffy massaged his aching shoulder and back muscles. It felt so good. She was reliving so much pressure. Unfortunately, it was also relieving pressure somewhere else.

"I can't believe you fixed my parent's roof last month. What a coincidence," Tiffy exclaimed.

Darry didn't comment. He could vividly recall those past suffocating hours. It had still been sweltering hot then. He and a couple of the other crew members had been up working on that steep roof for several hours replacing tiles after fixing a bad leak.

Covered in sweat, and only growing hotter, Darry and his buddy, Rob, had rid themselves of their shirts causing a major fuss from Tiffy's mother when she had arrived home early from her tea party at the country club.

After being reprimanded by their boss, both boys had been taken off the job. Jim and Harry were hired to finish the job, but both were still rookies that Rob was still in the process of training. A few mistakes were made to say the least.

Darry turned around to look into Tiffy's eyes. They were a deep dark blue. He pulled her around so he could face her, and wondered what her mommy dearest would think of her daughter now; kissing a no good grease of a roofer as his lips pressed against hers.

Dally and Johnny ran as fast as they could through the night. They had to hide somewhere.

"Man, Dally sure likes trouble," Johnny thought as the two of them ran across the lot heading over to Buck's. That's where they usually went when they needed to lie low for a while.

The soci girl Dally had hit on was the daughter of a cop. She had recognized Dally from his mile-high rap sheet, and notified her father. Johnny had been with Dally, so he thought it best that he run too.

"What did I tell you?" Dally said to Johnny as they stopped to catch their breath. "Never trust a girl who's named after a flower."

Daisy and Violet were their names. Johnny rather liked Violet. She seemed like a sweet girl, even if she did where a lot of purple. Johnny could barley see her dark brown hair under her purple shawl, which matched her purple dress and purple shoes.

Violet on the hand had fiery red hair, and was definitely out to get Dallas. It was no wonder she was the daughter of a cop.

The boys had made it back over to their territory now. "We're safe," Johnny thought.

"Hey, Dallas. Nice to see you." No such luck.

Tim Shepherd stood by the tree in the park. He didn't look happy.

"I know it was you who slashed my tires," he said. "Even if one of my boys did rat you out."

Johnny's black eyes grew a little bigger. "I sure hope he doesn't have a knife," Johnny prayed. "Please don't have a knife."

He knew Shepherd would fight fare as long as Dally didn't pull a blade on him.

"Beat it kid." Shepherd turned to Johnny. "This don't concern you. My beef's with Dally."

Johnny looked at Dally. He nodded.

"I'll see you in a few," he said.

Johnny hitched his hands in his jeans, then turned and walked away.

Once he thought he was far enough away Johnny hid and watched Dally and Shepherd argue. He couldn't here what they said, but he could clearly see the punches that were swung next.

Shepherd made quick work of Dallas. Blood was seeping from his nose, and he had a black eye with a busted lip. Johnny hoped Dally wouldn't try anything stupid for a while.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter # 3:

Leah and Ponyboy were sitting on a bench outside the theater talking about random things.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Leah said. She hurried off.

Ponyboy decided to wonder around for a bit while he waited for her. Not paying any attention where he was going, Ponyboy suddenly stopped short.

In front of him he could see Darry kissing a girl. He quickly hid in the bushes. It wouldn't be good if Darry caught him watching them make out.

Ponyboy had never seen Darry with a girl before. He remembered how Darry kept him away when he went on dates. Sodapop did the same thing, now that he thought about it. Maybe his two older brothers weren't as different as he had once thought.

Darry's hands trailed slowly down Tiffy's dress. He began to kiss her harder. He started to kiss her on her neck and throat as he hands moved farther down.

"So that's how you do it," Ponyboy thought. He had to remember this.

The girl whimpered. "No," Tiffy pleaded with Darry.

Darry moved his hands back up her body, but kept his lips pressed to her's.

Ponyboy was in aw of his brother. Darry had the strength to make her do whatever he wanted her to, but he had consented to her wishes.

"To bad," Ponyboy said. Then he realized he had talked out loud.

Darry stopped, and removed himself slightly from Tiffy. He looked about. Just great! Ponyboy knew he was in for it now. Darry had hearing like a hound dog.

"Where are you, Ponyboy?" Darry called into the darkness.

The wind blew softly through the trees. The shrubs and branches whistled. Ponyboy didn't know if he dared move from where he was hidden in the bush. Darry would surely be upset with him.

"Ponyboy Curtis! Come here!"

Ponyboy slowly stepped from the bushes. Darry nodded for him to come closer.

"Oh, you have a little brother," Tiffy cooed once Ponyboy was in close view.

Darry didn't even bother introducing the two. He was just a little on the unhappy side.

"Why aren't you with Sodapop?" Darry asked him.

"I…um…well…you see," Ponyboy stammered.

"Just answer the question."

Ponyboy stared at the ground.

"Where's Soda," Darry asked again.

Ponyboy panicked. What should he say? He couldn't lie to Darry, but he didn't want to get Soda in trouble either. Darry thought he and Soda were going to stay together.

"Ponyboy! Ponyboy! Where are you?"

Ponyboy was never so happy as to hear Leah's voice calling out to him. He was saved. Well, maybe.

"Oh, there you are," Leah stepped from the nightly shadows. "Hi, I'm Leah," she introduced herself.

"Darry," Darry said.

"I'm Tiffy," Tiffy smiled politely at Ponyboy.

"You must be Ponyboy's other brother," Leah went on happily. "You look a lot alike."

Both Ponyboy and Darry stared at her. No one had ever said they looked alike. Darry was a lot taller than Ponyboy, and he had more muscle, and he shaved.

With horror, Ponyboy soon noticed that Darry was looking at the big brown stains on Leah's pretty yellow dress. It was over now. He was dead and buried.

"What happed to your dress, Leah?" Darry asked her.

"Oh, nothing. It's just a stain from spilt coke and greasy popcorn."

She stopped open mouthed, and looked at Ponyboy who was looking wide-eyed at Darry. Darry looked back at him. Ponyboy thought Darry looked slightly amused, but he could never tell for sure.

"Ponyboy! Ponyboy!" Soda called as he came running. "Ponyboy…oh, nice to see you too, Darry." Soda grinned ridiculously at his brother hopping to get himself off the hook.

"Don't push your luck," Darry warned.

"It's getting rather late," Tiffy announced. "Maybe it's time we go home. Our parents might start to worry about us."

Leah threw her arms around Ponyboy, and gave him a big kiss on the lips making him blush uncontrollably. She giggled at his embarrassment.

Cherry and Tiffy each gave Sodapop and Darry a final kiss good night before the three girls strolled off.

"So, you learn anything watching me make out?" Darry asked Ponyboy as they started to walk home.

"I wasn't spying, exactly," Pony protested.

"Then what would you call it," he asked. Darry then turned to Soda. "I thought you were going to keep an eye on him, Sodapop."

"I did," Sodapop insisted. "I watched him spill the Pepsi and the popcorn all over that girl in the yellow dress."

"Here name is Leah," Ponyboy cut in.

"Ok, Leah. But then I got busy." Soda said.

"Both of you are grounded for a week," Darry sentenced. "Oh, and Ponyboy, I thought it went without saying that you don't spill food and drink on a girl on a date," Darry commented ruffling Ponyboy's hair.

"It turned out alright, Darry" Sodapop chimed in. "Our Pony got his first kiss." He grinned at Ponyboy who started to blush again.

When they were half way home they started to hear footsteps. Dally came up to them with Johnny trailing behind.

"What happened to you?" Sodapop asked.

"Got in a fight with Shepherd," Dallas replied.

"He worked him over good," Johnny spoke up surprising everyone.

"You were supposed to have beat it out of there," Dally scolded.

But Johnny knew that Dally really wasn't upset with him. He still should have listened to him though. No one messed around with Dally. His word was law.

"I'm heading over to Bucks," Dally told them. "I just wanted to drop off Johnnycakes here. See you guys latter."

"Come on Pony, let's go to the lot," Johnny said.

Ponyboy started to follow him. He could feel Darry's eyes on him. He was starting to get this parent thing down as far as the looks went. Now all he needed was to put his hands on his hips, and an apron that said, "Kiss the Cook" like mom had.

"You know what's going to happen if you're late," Darry warned. "You're already grounded for a week."

"Let him go, Darry," Sodapop whispered. "I need to talk to you alone."

Johnny and Ponyboy lay on the grass under the stars. They pointed and talked about each cluster. It was something they enjoyed doing together, just the two of them.

"So why are you grounded," Johnny asked after a while of silence.

"I guess it's for not staying with Soda, spying on Darry, and spilling Pepsi on Leah dress."

Johnny laughed. "Hey, I don't want you spying on me either. So how'd that girl take it you spilling stuff on her?"

"Just fine," Ponyboy insisted. "She even gave me a kiss."

"Your first one and you're barely even fourteen. Congratulations, Pony. You're going to be as bad as your brothers when you get a little older."

Ponyboy threw some grass at Johnny playfully. Then he started telling him about watching Darry.

"Learn from that, Ponyboy," Johnny told him.

"So how'd it go with you?" Pony asked Johnny.

Johnny told him all about running from the cops and the fight with Shepherd.

"I hope Dally doesn't try to do anything stupid for a long time," Johnny murmured as the two drifted off to sleep.

It only felt like a moment had passed when Ponyboy felt someone waking him.

"Wake up Ponyboy." Sodapop was shaking his kid brother hard.

"What time is it?" Ponyboy asked sleepily.

"It's almost midnight," Sodapop said. "Darry's going to kill you if you're late, and I'm in for it too remember?"

Ponyboy struggled to get up. He really didn't want to move.

"Johnny, you're coming with us. It's cold out tonight," said Soda.

"I'll be fine," Johnny insisted.

"Well alright, but come on to our house if it gets any colder. Come on Pony, we got to go, fast."

Ponyboy and Sodapop raced down the dark night road towards home. Ponyboy was glad he had quite smoking after his mom busted him nearly a year ago. He could tell his speed for time and distance was improving. Sodapop was having trouble keeping up with him. They made it with only seconds to spare.

"It's a good thing Sodapop went to find you," Darry said flatly as the two stumbled in the door. "Otherwise you'd be late."

Ponyboy looked up at his eldest brother. He stood against the kitchen table with his arms folded across his chest.

"We're here on time," Pony said weakly.

"Barley. Where's Johnny?" Darry asked.

"I told him to come with us, but he said he was fine out there." Soda said.

"It's really cold outside."

"I know, but he didn't want to. You can't force him, Darry. He ain't related to us, so the state's not interested in taking him away like they are me and Pony."

"Watch your mouth," Darry warned.

"Come on Pony, time for bed. I got work in the morning, and the old man here can use all the beauty sleep he can get."

Sodapop bounced away quickly just missing Darry's playful swing.

"Night, Little Buddy," Darry said. "Night Baby."

"Night Darry," Ponyboy and Sodapop said at once.

**AN: Please review. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter # 4:

Johnny was sleeping soundly under a pile of thin newspapers when he was suddenly woken up.

"Come on Johnny. Come with me to Buck's."

It was Dally. Johnny was glad to see him too. He had always been a little on the jumpy and skittish side. Maybe that would never change, but ever since he had gotten jumped by a couple of socs a few nights back he had become more of a nervous wreck than usual.

"How'd you know I was here?" Johnny asked.

"Darry called me. Said you wouldn't go home with Ponyboy and Sodapop. You know I'd thought you'd be smart about staying out by yourself after getting jumped."

Johnny shifted uneasily and stared at the ground shamefully. He knew Dally was right. Tough street hoods and greasers did not make such careless mistakes. Dally never would.

"Ah, come on Johnnycakes," Dally said taking him by the shoulders, and giving him a push in the direction of Buck's place.

They started walking. Johnny caught a word of Dally's street smarts lecture every now and then, but his ears defiantly perked up when he thought her heard the sound of a car. A car! This far East? Johnny hoped he was wrong. But a sick feeling in his stomach told him that he wasn't. Minutes later the Mustang came into view.

Johnny wanted to run and hide. This wasn't happening again, but it was. At least this time Dally was there with him, so he wouldn't be going down alone.

Without meaning too, Johnny let out a small whimper when he noticed the rings on one of the soc's hands. He knew these were the same bunch of boys that had jumped him last time.

"Got your blade with ya?" Dally asked Johnny.

Johnny nodded. This time he did. He looked up at Dally. He was grinning from ear to ear. Johnny thought it was because he had had a little too much beer, but never the less, he seemed ready for a good fight. Strange since he had just gotten in a fight with Tim Shepherd earlier that night.

"Let's get these punks."

The socs got out of their fancy car reeking of to much booze.

"You're out of your territory, soc," Dally called as they approached. "You better watch it."

"It's you who better watch it you no good hood," one of the soc shouted causing Dally's temper to come to a boil.

"At least I don't have to amuse myself by picking on little kids you rich brat," Dally yelled back.

Johnny looked at Dally seeing the look on his idol's face. He knew. Dallas knew these were the soc that had hurt him, and he had sworn to get even.

"Let's get 'em!" the lead soc yelled.

Johnny kicked the smallest guy in the shins and punched him in the stomach. He then hit him in the head. The soc was out cold.

Dally mean while was personally taking care of the soc who wore all the rings. The boy was bleeding all over the place making the other boys gang up on Johnny.

Johnny hit the ground hard. He was starting to see stars. He felt like he was starting to fade as he kept swinging. What was he going to do? Dally would never let anything bad happen to him while he was around, but what if the five socs were too much for him to handle too? Johnny really didn't want to use his blade.

Then, as suddenly as if someone had snapped their fingers, the boys were gone. Dally was kneeling beside him.

"You ok, Johnnycakes?"

Johnny forced himself to sit up. A massive amount of sheer pain inflames his body. He looked around, and then wished he hadn't. One of the soc, a boy named Bob Johnny thought his name was and possibly the leader, was lying on the ground as steel as a grave in a sea of red.

Johnny gasped in horror while Dally cleaned the blood of his knife like it was no bid deal. He stopped to look at Johnny's ash-white face.

"You grow up on the streets in New York ya get used to stuff like this."

"What are we going to do?"

The faint sound of sirens could be heard in the near by distance. The police were already coming for them.

"Well that's one less soc to worry about," Dally grumbled. He grabbed Johnny. "Come on. Let's get out of her."

The two boys didn't just walk, they ran from the lot. They had no intention of being anywhere in sight when the fuzz decided to show.

Dally and Johnny burst into Buck's place nearly out of breath. A few of Shepherd's boys looked up from the poker game they were playing. One of the guys with brown hair smirked at them.

"Hey Dale," he said. "You sure look like hell. I guess Tim beat you good. How's it feel to be ratted out?"

The guy stood up from the table, and walked toward them. Johnny could clearly tell he was drunk. He sure seemed itching to pick a fight with Dally. Not many hoods dared that much. Johnny guessed he was the one that caught Dally slashing the tires on Tim's car. He wondered about the ratting out part though.

"You tell me," Dally shot back. "You're the one who sang like a canary, even after I gave you a fat lip."

"Well, what's you gonna do about it now?" The guy challenged.

"I'd tell you what I'd love to do, but right now Johnny and I have a little business to do with Buck."

Dally walked off and headed up the stairs with Johnny trailing behind him. They found Buck asleep in one of the rooms upstairs. Johnny was glad to see that Buck was sleeping alone for once. He didn't want to think about what he might have walked in on.

Ponyboy wasn't the only one who was a little fearful of girls. Johnny was a virgin too, though he would never admit it to anyone other than Ponyboy. Dally probably knew, and maybe even Darry. They never said anything about it, but once in a while Dally would try to push Johnny into doing things he didn't want to do.

**AN: Please review. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter # 5:

Ponyboy wasn't too worried when Johnny didn't show up for school on Monday. Sometimes his dad would beat him so badly that Johnny could hardly move.

Life seemed to go on just like any other day until after school when Darry and Sodapop got home. The three brothers were eating dinner at the kitchen table when there was a knock at the door.

Darry and Sodapop looked at each other. This couldn't be good. No one ever knocked on their door unless it was a cop or a social worker. Even Tim Shepherd's boys who came around once in a while just walked in.

"I'll get it," said Sodapop.

He walked slowly and solemnly to answer the door, afraid of what might lye on the other side of it.

"Good evening, Sodapop."

Soda froze. Standing at the door was a police officer. The very one that had arrested him just a few weeks ago at an unauthorized drag race.

"I trust you haven't been racing," the officer said.

"No sire," Sodapop nearly squeaked.

"Who's at the door," Darry called.

He knew something was up. Soda's voice normally didn't squeak like that. He walked out of the kitchen. His eyes went wide when he saw the officer.

The police officer sat down in the living room with the three brothers trying to pry information out of at least of them about Johnny or Dally's whereabouts, but none of them knew anything about what had happened.

"You should tell me what you know if you know what's good for you," the cop said. "I can have all of you split up or thrown in jail. Enough is enough with you hooligans."

Both Sodapop and Ponyboy stiffened from fear of being taken away from Darry, but to their surprise Darry remained very calm.

"If you think threatening people is going to get you anywhere than you don't know how to do your job; especially with us hooligans," Darry said throwing some of the cops own words back at him.

Soda and Pony were stunned. What did Darry know that they didn't?

"We told you the truth that none of us knows anything about what happened," Darry said.

He knew good and well that Johnny wouldn't hurt a fly. If that soc was killed, it would have been Dally that cut him, and he would have done it only to protect Johnny.

The police never did anything when the mighty socs knifed them or beat them up, but would send a greaser to prison in the blink of an eye. A hood wasn't one of the lucky ones, a rich kid with all the breaks.

Darry wasn't sure why this even mattered much because Dally already had a rap sheet a mile high. It was Johnny that he was really worried about.

"I don't appreciate some hood telling me how to do my job," the officer warned.

Darry knew he was crossing the line. He wasn't being a good model citizen, if there really was such a thing, for Sodapop and Ponyboy. They didn't need to learn how to mouth off to a cop, but Darry wasn't backing down now.

"I don't appreciate some cop threatening my family," Darry said. "Don't you dare come in hear and tell them you're gonna send them to a boy's home, or do I need to call my buddy who's a state attorney."

The man's face went white and then turned red with anger. "If I find out you're withholding information I'll put you in jail," the policeman

With that he got up and stormed out of the house angrily.

"Darry, what are you doing?" Soda pleaded after the trash had taken itself out.

"Don't worry," Darry said. "He can't take the two of you away. No one can. Mom and Dad had set it up so that I would take care of you if anything ever happened to them. The guy just got in touch with me a couple weeks ago because he had been in the hospital the last six moths because a boat ran over him."

AN: Now no one go getting all mouthy with the fuzz here. That's not to smart. Don't get me wrong, there are some very good police officers out there, but there's also a lot of just plain jerks that think they're such a bad ass.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Review please. **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter # 6:

AN: I know the days and school being out is a little weird, but I based it off my own school schedule. Believe me, it was weird. Unfortunately the gas story really did happen. I also do not know if Bonnie and Clyde ever went to Tulsa, but it makes for a good story.

"You hungry Johnnycakes," Dally asked as the train slowly started to chug along again.

"No," Johnny said.

"You have to eat something."

"I said I'm not hungry," Johnny snapped.

Silence rang in the night air for a few moments before Dally laid a hand on Johnny. It was meant as a cuff for snapping at him, but it was a gentle touch that many didn't know Dally had.

Johnny knew Dally would never hurt him. He might punch Two-Bit though for his obnoxious ways. Johnny was already starting to miss the gang.

Ponyboy sighed as he fought to get himself out of bed the next morning. It was Tuesday. School was now out for the holiday break so why did he still have to get up? Because Darry said so, that's why.

Darry had asked Ponyboy to please pick up the house and clean the bathroom while he and Sodapop were at work. The state wasn't going to come by anymore thanks to Darry's attorney friend, but the house could use a little cleaning just the same. It got dirty pretty easily with all the hoods that tracked in and out of their home.

It didn't take Ponyboy a long time. Afterwards he tried to read his favorite mystery novel. It was the only one he had really. It had belonged to his mother. Ponyboy must have read it at least a hundred times, but he never seemed to get tired of it.

Ponyboy had only read a few pages when his mind started to wonder.

His thoughts were not on his book, but on Johnny and Dally. Where were they? Why did they have to skip town?

Ponyboy tried to refocus on his reading, but load noises interrupted his silence. He got up, and walked out the door.

Outside there were several large moving vans. What was going on?

"Ponyboy!"

Ponyboy jerked, startled. It was Leah. She ran up to him, warping her arms around Ponyboy. Her body felt warm from the sun. She wasn't wearing yellow today, but rather a nice floral print.

"What are you doing here," Ponyboy asked.

"We're moving in," Leah said.

"Moving in?" Ponyboy repeated confused.

This was greaser territory, a poor, low class neighborhood for hoods and other low lifes. Leah was a very sweet girl, but she was also a soc. What business could she possibly have here? Ponyboy and the rest of the gang had never anticipated in the least of ever meeting up with the girls again.

"Yes, my family and I are moving in the yellow house with the red shutters."

Ponyboy blinked. Leah just smiled at him.

"Why?" he asked.

"Well, my father's company unfortunately made some bad business decisions and lost a lot of money. So we had to sell our house and some other things that we could no longer afford to keep."

"But that house is haunted," Ponyboy stammered.

"Haunted? Ponyboy that's silly."

Ponyboy's ears turned red. Had she really just told him he was silly? Maybe he was just being sensitive. He wished he would stop. It wasn't a great quality for a greaser to possess.

"The house is haunted, and I can prove it," Ponyboy said.

He than began to tell Leah the story.

:Back in the 30's when The Great Depression had hit, Tulsa suffered as much as anyone else. People were homeless, out of a job, and many didn't have anything to eat.

Bonnie and Clyde were a couple who robbed several banks along with their gang. Banks were highly untrusted at the time for it was believed that their carelessness was the cause of such hard times. It was thought by some that Bonnie and Clyde also participated in the "Robin Hood Effect" in which they took money from the banks and gave it to the people who no longer had a place to live.

Shortly before they were ambushed and shot to death by law enforcement in Louisiana, Bonnie and Clyde had come to Tulsa. They had hid out in an abandoned house where it was rumored that they had stashed a large amount of the money they had stolen.

A few years later, two brothers were on the run from the law. They needed to get some quick cash so they could get out of the country. They broke into the house when the residence weren't at home to look for the loot.

No one was aware that the residence were gone because there was a gas leak in the house that was to be fixed the following day; but it came to late. When the gas leaked onto the copper wiring, the house went up in flames.

Only the framework of the sad little building was left standing when the fire was finally put out. The brothers were buried side by side, and the interior of the house was later rebuilt:

"You should write that down," Leah said when Ponyboy had finished. "You could be a great author some day."

"Don't you believe me?" Ponyboy asked.

"Well, I really don't believe much in that sort of thing," said Leah.

There was an awkward silence that was thankfully broken when Tiffy walked toward them.

"Hi Ponyboy," she greeted. "Is your brother around?"

"N-no, he's not. Darry's at work, and so is Sodapop."

Ponyboy didn't know why he told her that Soda was at work. He started to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Are you moving here too," he asked feeling stupid.

"Yes," Tiffy answered.

"Her father is business associates with my father," Leah said.

"Business associates?" Ponyboy repeated not quite making eye contact.

"Yes. Marcia and Sabrina are moving here too. So are Daisy and Violet."

"It's a good thing then that Dally and Johnny aren't around," Ponyboy said.

His eyes went wide when he realized what he had said, but the two girls didn't seem to notice.

Ponyboy's thoughts traveled back to his greasy friends. He wondered what Johnny and Dally were doing right this very moment.

**AN: Please review. **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter # 7:

Johnny and Dally walked out of the general store with their arms full of groceries and some other stuff that Dallas had lifted under his jacket.

"How did you know about this place, Dal?" Johnny asked.

"I have a cousin that lives here somewhere around these parts."

"A cousin?"

"Yeah, a real country hick if I've ever seen one."

Johnny was a little surprised. Dally had never mentioned a cousin before. Come to think of it he didn't talk about any family much. Johnny guessed the gang was his family more than anything

"How come you never mentioned him?" Johnny asked.

"Her," Dally corrected. "Her name's Amy. She and I grew up together in New York," Dally said.

He started to unbutton his shirt. It was hot and Dally was sweating. He was thirty and hungry too. He motioned at the bread and grocers.

Johnny took the hint. He was hungry as well. He took out two slices of bread and spread one slice with mustard and the other with mayonnaise. Then he alternated equally between the meats and cheeses.

Dallas watched him as he worked with amusement in his eyes.

"How precise you are in making your sandwich," Dally smirked as he saw Johnny blush red. "Where'd you learn to do that?" he asked.

Johnny put the sandwich together and cut it into two pieces diagonally across. He handed it to Dally along with one of the bags of chips they had bought. He started on his own sandwich before answering.

"Ponyboy," Johnny said.

"What," Dally asked.

"Ponyboy taught me how. Said his mother used to give them basic cooking lessons sometimes. Darry did ok, but didn't really care for them. Sodapop took them to extreme, and Ponyboy just liked being in the kitchen I guess with his mother."

Dally smiled. The kid would always be the baby. Nothing was going to change that.

"I bet they really come in handy now though; for all of them and us," Dally said.

"He and Darry taught me a lot of things Dal," Johnny said grabbing his sandwich and sitting down next to his idle.

"So he did," Dallas said not sounding convinced.

"Yeah. Ponyboy helped with school stuff like reading. Darry checks my math when he helps Ponyboy. Sodapop helped me with a girl once..."

Dally laughed as Johnny's voice trailed off.

"You hang around them enough somethings bound to rub off on ya."

**AN: It's a short chapter I know. Please review. **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter # 8:

Sodapop was surprised to find Ponyboy and Leaf hanging out in the warm sun when he and Steve got off from work.

"I was just think that maybe sometime you could come on, and we could see if we could find that treasure," Leah said. "I mean if you want to. If you're not too scared."

"Are you telling her about the haunted house with the curse and the loot?" Steve asked. "Are you still scared of it? No wonder you have to sleep with Soda."

Ponyboy felt his ears redden. He liked Leah a lot, and here he was telling her silly ghost stories. They had scared him to death when he was younger, but now they didn't seem so intimidating. Maybe he just didn't have the story telling affect that Two-Bit had.

Ponyboy remembered being so scared that he slept in his parent's room that night, and Mrs. Curtis had had a few words with Two-Bit's mother.

It also made him a little angry that Steve had just spilled his secret to Leah. Ponyboy felt humiliated. He looked up cautiously to see Sodapop glaring flamed daggers at his best friend.

Luckily, Leah didn't seem to notice the part about their current sleeping arrangements.

"Uh… Darry's working late Ponyboy, so we better get dinner started," Soda tried to relieve everyone from the awkwardness.

"I'll see you later, Ponyboy," Leah said. "Don't forget, we have treasure to hunt."

Sodapop pocked Pony in the back as they walked in the house. He looked around noticing how messy it was.

"I've got dinner. You better get started on picking up the house before Darry gets home."

Ponyboy picked up all of the dirty clothes, and put them in the washing machine. He cleaned the bathroom and made their beds.

Sodapop had dinner ready by the time Pony had finished vacuuming only seconds before Darry walked in followed by a yammering Two-Bit.

Ponyboy quickly put the vacuum back in the closet before Darry saw it. He was pretty sure he'd get it good for not listening to Darry, again. He was getting really bad about doing that lately.

"Will you shut up Two-Bit! I'm just as worried about them, but when Dally's not gonna be found if he doesn't want to be found. Ponyboy, I wish you'd start doing what I ask you," Darry snapped.

Ponyboy winced. So Darry had seen him. Why did he always have to have eyes like a cat?

"Ah come on Darry. It ain't his fault," Soda defended him. "He got side tracked by a pretty girl named Leah. Our little Pony's growing up"

"Now he won't have to sleep with you all the time," Steve said.

There was total silence. Ponyboy looked down at the floor determined not to cry. Darry looked as mad as a volcano about to erupt.

Steve started to get a little scared. It was only meant as a joke, but the last time Darry looked this upset was right before he decked him for referring to him as all Braun without brains. He had latter found out it was because Darry wouldn't get to go to college.

"If you two ever say a word about this I swear you won't live to see your next birthday." Darry said with as much venom in his voice as he could muster.

"Say what?" Two-Bit asked like a goof ball trying to ease the tension a little bit. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the time you nearly creamed me for turning the kid's nightlight out. Would it?"

"It might, it might not. I'm not saying either way, but what I am saying is that this better not leave this house if you know what's good for you."

"We won't say anything Darry," Steve said.

"You better not."

After that Darry, Sodapop, Ponyboy, and Two-Bit sat down at the kitchen table for dinner. Steve decided to beat it out of there seeing as no one was very happy with him right then.

"Soda, can you tell me how cornbread is supposed to be purple?" Darry asked.

"I'm creative," Soda said.

"The last time you were this creative you gave us all food poisoning," Ponyboy said.

Suddenly no one had an appetite. Plates were taken to the sink.

"Are you trying to kill us Pepsi-Cola," Darry asked.

Ponyboy splashed him with the dish water laughing.

"Doesn't that state good, Soda?"

"Why would you do that?" Soda smiled. "I thought I was so lovable."

"Ok you clowns finish up. Pony, we need to talk," Darry said.

He looked Soda straight in the eye. Soda nodded in understanding.

"Two-Bit there's a pretty blond walking down the street. Why don't you go say hello," Soda suggested.

"I know when I need to leave," Two-Bit insisted. "Besides," he said heading out the door," I've already asked that girl out. She slapped me in the face last week because she had these really big boobs and I really wanted to squeeze them…"

"Bye Two-Bit," Darry interrupted.

Then the three Curtis brothers were alone. Ponyboy shifted uneasily as he felt Soda's arm push him gently forward.

"So I here you saw Leah today," Darry began.

Ponyboy nodded.

"She is moving in across the street with her family. I didn't see her sister though. Tiffy was here also asking about you…"

Darry waved his hand to cut him off.

"So you like Lea a lot from what it sounds like."

Pony blushed a deep pink. He really did like her, but he not exactly for the reasons one might think. He thought she was sweet and her smile melted him. She liked to tease him some, but she wasn't mean.

"You're growing up Ponyboy," Darry started again.

"Yea, I'm still waiting for the first time your voice cracks," Soda teased.

"You're not helping," Darry said.

"Sorry," Soda smiled at him innocently. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter # 9:

**AN: As I'm sure I mentioned in my other story, if you have any questions about the material of this chapter please ask a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult. I also think that the ages given by The Outsiders are too young, even if it does happen in real life. **

That had been a very awkward night. Ponyboy felt so uncomfortable discussing the physical and emotional types of changes that his body was going through.

"Darry! Do we really have to talk about this?" Ponyboy pleaded. "I already know what wet dreams are. Soda has them at least once a week."

"This is not about me!" Sodapop shouted defensively.

Darry concealed a smile at his brother's outburst. Who was supposed to be the older and mature person here?

"I've heard all this stuff from the gang," Pony continued.

"I know that, but I'm telling you the honest truth about what you need to know about yourself. What you hear from the gang and what you hear from us are completely different," Darry said.

Ponyboy nodded. That was for sure. He had heard a lot of things from different members of the gang, and they always raised the curiosity to him. To bad he didn't have to guts to ask his older brothers about all the questions he had.

They had gown over the physical changes his body would be experiencing and how his feeling towards subjects like girls, love, lust, and so on were also destined to.

Ponyboy wondered if he would sound as gruff and intimidating as Darry did after his voice deepened.

"You're not going to be afraid of girls forever, Ponyboy," Soda took up the conversation. "You're getting more and more at ease. We've both noticed that with Leah."

"We're just friends," Ponyboy tried to sound convincing.

"You may be right now, but what happens when you want to be more than that?" Darry questioned.

"I- I've never done… I mean," Ponyboy stammered.

He couldn't believe that he was admitting this to his brothers even though they probably knew he was still a virgin anyway. He felt pressured about it sometimes.

Sodapop was the best-known skirt chaser in the city of Tulsa. Girls were all over him where ever he went. Sometimes they even came on to him if he was with Soda.

Around their neighborhood greases tended to enjoy their first experience about age fifteen. Ponyboy figured he still had a year, but he still worried about proving himself. What if he wasn't ready? How would he feel when he got older if he still hadn't done it yet?

"We're sorry we have to do this," Soda said.

"We've actually been meaning to do this for a while. You're a smart kid Pony, but when a guy thinks he's in love he doesn't think with his head," Darry said.

Pony raised an eyebrow at that. Darry didn't think he used his head at any time.

"Do have any questions for us?" Darry asked.

There were a lot of questions Pony had. He knew Darry was being sensor, but he didn't know if he could bear bringing them up.

"I can see the wheels in that smart head of yours turning," Soda teased.

"Pony," Darry prompted.

"What if I don't want to… uh, right now?" Pony tried to ask as best he could.

"That's your choose," Soda explained. "There's gonna be a lot of pressure, especially with our neighborhood and the bunch of hoods we hang with. You're going to have to be stronger than that pressure. Do whatever you feel is right."

"Don't model after our mistakes Pony," said Darry. Both of us have had different experiences, but I will tell you this. If you want a nice girl, then she is worth waiting for."

"You deserve the best Ponyboy," Soda told him. "You'll get it some day. I know it may seem right now that you're going no where and the gang treats you like a baby. I guess Darry and I are real guilty of that. You may feel like you have a rep to live up to now, but some day you'll be better than all of us."

Ponyboy felt really guilty now thinking that he couldn't talk to his brothers, especially knowing that Darry might never reach that dream after giving it up for him and Soda.

"You can talk to us Ponyboy, about anything. We'll try to listen and help you as best we can," Darry assured him.

"That is, as soon as Superman can calm down after he hits the roof," Soda joked.

"So, is that it?" Pony asked.

"No, there's one more thing. If you ever do decide to do anything we want to make sure you know how to put on a condom."

"What if I'm not that size?" Pony cried.

"It doesn't matter right now as long as you know how. You should also know that they can sometimes break, and that nothing is a hundred percent effective unless you do not have sex," Darry informed.

"You mean I have a choice," Pony said a little too sarcastically.

"Yes, you do,' said Darry. "Now quite mouthing off to me, and listen. Like I said before, I may not always like the choices you make. I know I get on to you a lot. But I want you to understand that no matter how much trouble you get in, Soda and I are hear for you."

Ponyboy nodded. He wondered if Johnny had ever had to go through this embarrassing stuff, and if he had which one of the gang taught him. He guessed it was probably Dally.

It was the last thoughts Ponyboy had that night while he lay in bed beside Soda. The paper had come out showing the pictures of Dally and Johnny as wanted for manslaughter.

Before Ponyboy fell asleep that night, he prayed that Dally, and most importantly Johnny, would be ok. The minister at church had told said that some of God's greatest gifts were unanswered prayers, but Ponyboy didn't think that counted in this situation.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter # 10:

Johnny and Dally were both out like a light sleeping soundly on the dirty floors of the old, abandoned church building when nearby foots steps spooked both greasers wide awake.

"Alright boys, you're under arrest. It would be in your best interest to come along quietly," a deep voice snarled.

Two officers from Tulsa along with the local police had them surrounded. They cuffed each boy and patted him down, confiscating the blades.

Johnny was terrified. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before, and he didn't know what to expect. How did they find them? Johnny thought Dally knew everything about hiding out when you were on the run from the fuzz.

As they were escorted out to the waiting squad cars, Johnny saw some little kids standing close by their parents. Their eyes were wide with much curiosity as they watched the police put them in the car.

"Who's James Polly?" one of the officers asked.

"I am," an elderly gentleman said stepping forward.

"Thanks for notifying us Mr. Polly. We've been looking for these two."

Johnny tried not to show how scared he was as they drove away in the car.

"Dally nudged him and glared. Johnny knew what he meant, but he didn't have to tell Johnny. He already knew to keep his mouth shut.

"Though we'd never find you," the cop said.

Both greasers were silent.

"It's a good thing these folks around here know what trouble looks like," he went on yammering about all things.

Johnny and Dally just tuned him out.

It was quite a long ways back to Tulsa, but for Johnny it was the shortest ride he's ever taken.

Dally sauntered into the station as if doing so was nothing but old hat to him.

Johnny on the other hand was escorted in by the officer. Her was trembling. He didn't want to get out of the car.

Johnny thought the strip search was the worst part. He wasn't used to undressing in front of strangers. Then came the strong sound of a cell door slamming with them inside, the click of the lock, and the fading footsteps of the officer walking hastily away.

"Yo, man, we get a phone call," Dally yelled, but his remark was met only by silence.

"What are we going to do?" Johnny asked weakly.

"I saw this movie once where these guys pissed on their shirts, and used the wet shirt to bend the bard of the jail cell," Dally said.

"Dally, I'm not doing that," Johnny protested.

"Well, it's something to think about," Dally replied.

"Have you done that before?" Johnny asked bewildered.

"No, " Dally said. "I'd like to know if it really worked though."

Johnny sat on the little bed with his knees curled up into his chest. It seemed hopeless.

"Don't worry Johnny. We'll call Darry, and come get you out," Dally assured him."

"What about you?" Johnny asked.

"What about me?" Dally repeated. "Kid, I've been jailed so many times it's like my second home."

Johnny gave him an unconvinced look.

" Besides it beats the streets. Don't have to worry about no soc jumping ya in your sleep."

Again, Johnny just gave him a blank look.

"Johnny, this is old routine. With a little good behavior, I'll be out in no time. You're the one I'm worried about," Dally continued.

"But…" Johnny tried to protest.

Dally cut him off with a swift wave of his hand.

"We're gonna talk to Darry when our phone call comes up. He'll fix this for you, don't you worry. He's taken care of things for me plenty of times, and I sure didn't deserve it," said Dally.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter # 11:

AN: I don't know if people ate pizza or had washing machines then, but for the sake of the story, they did.

"So what do you want to do tonight," Sodapop asked Ponyboy.

Darry was working late, again, and the two of them had been grounded for an entire week for not staying together that night at the Nightly Double as they had promised.

"I don't know. How about we make pizza."

"I like that idea," Soda said.

"Normal pizza," Pony insisted rolling his eyes at his brother.

"Hey, It will be perfectly normal, and then we can invite Cherry and Leah over to have some with us."

"Leah," Pony grinned at the thought of the pretty girl dressed in yellow. He wondered if she always dressed in that color. Then his smile faded when he remembered that he and Soda were grounded, and that Darry had threatened more if he caught them.

"What about Darry," Pony moped.

"Darry's working late tonight, remember. He won't be home to real late, so he won't know," Soda stated. "Come on. Let's have some fun. "

So the two went to the kitchen to begin gathering all the ingredients that they would need. Ponyboy got out a large clump of dough that he started to flatten while Sodapop called the girls.

"Hello…this is Sodapop Curtis… Is that you Leah?"

Hearing this Ponyboy almost dropped the dough causing a gleaming smirk appeared upon his older brother's face.

"…Yeah…we were wondering if you weren't doing anything tonight…yeah…so you'd like to have pizza with us…over here…at our house…of course Cherry's invited. Who do you think I've been talking about, Santa Clause?"

"Soda!" Ponyboy snapped as he spread sauce all over the flat, circular dough. He liked Leah, and he didn't want her to feel badly toward him just because his older brother had a mouth.

Soda waved a hand. "…about six o'clock…tonight…no he's working late, but she can still come…yeah…ok…see ya then."

"Leah seems nice," Sodapop said after he had hung up the phone.

"Yeah, she is," Ponyboy replied. "But she might not be if you insult her like the way you did."

"Hey, if she's gonna be your girlfriend, then she needs to get used to it. Besides, it's not like I spilled coke and popcorn on her pretty little dress," Soda defended.

"You have to rub that in?" Pony said.

Leah and Cherry sat at the kitchen table with Sodapop and Ponyboy eating the freshly baked pizza. Tiffy had chosen to stay behind, as Darry wasn't there for her to flirt with.

"I've never had anything quite like this," Cherry said.

"This is a staple food in our family, kind of like chocolate cake," Sodapop said.

The girls looked puzzled at the comment, but both refrained from saying anything.

"Who wants seconds?" asked Soda.

"I do! I do!" Everyone shouted.

Cherry and Leah each had another piece while Soda and Pony finished off what was left.

"You must teach me how to make this sometimes," Cherry said to Sodapop.

"Well, it was Ponyboy who made it," said Soda.

Oh," squealed Lea. "I didn't know you could cook. You sure did a wonderful job."

Ponyboy felt his ears start to turn a bright shade of crimson.

After they all had finished eating, Ponyboy and Leah sat on the couch watching _Gone with the Wind_ while Cherry insisted she help Sodapop with the dishes.

Soda was washing the dishes since Ponyboy had baked the pizza. That was the rule in their house. When one of them cooks, the other one washes the dishes.

Cherry was trying to help, but in truth was making it harder for Soda who had to stop and teach her what to do.

When her family had fallen from the social class of high and wealthy society due to some very poor business decisions made by her father and his business associates, Cherry and her family had a very difficult time learning basic domestic skills like washing dishes, and so forth. Her family no longer had a housekeeper, cook, or butler. Sometimes, Cherry thought she was living in limbo waiting for her Day of Judgment.

"I wonder how she plans to cook pizza when she doesn't even know how to wash dishes?" Sodapop wondered to himself as he peaked over at his baby brother siting on the couch with his very first girlfriend.

"That's my favorite part," Leah said, pointing at the movie playing on the TV screen.

"Mine too," Ponyboy replied.

Both were referring to a familiar seen in the movie where men were betting on the woman of their choice to dance with at the Atlanta Bazaar.

"I'd love it if I was one of those women being fussed over," Leah exclaimed.

"Who said that you're not," Ponyboy said leaning in for a kiss.

"All done!" Soda shouted as he turned on the dishwasher and jumped over the couch to sit beside Ponyboy.

He patted the arm of the couch. Cherry followed him, but she denied his invitation to jump over the couch.

Soda really didn't care anything about the movie they were watching. He only knew that it was one that Ponyboy liked. He just wanted to see how touchy-feely he could get with Cherry. After all, he was a hands-on learner. Cherry didn't seem to mind the least.

Suddenly the movie was shut off when the screen went blank. A loud clasp was heard.

"Soda is there something wrong with the dishwasher?" Pony asked.

"No. I don't think that was the dishwasher, Pony," Soda said as he tried to keep calm "I think that was thunder."

Ponyboy's eyes went wide at the realization. "…b-but that means…"

Then they heard the rain, that was quickly followed by a soaked Darry walking in from work. He held the door open for a shivering Tiffy.

Hi ya Darry," Soda said with his voice unsteady. "I see you're home early. Nice night for it to rain."

Understanding the situation, Tiffy smiled a smile that was just a little too sweet as she rubbed her hands all over Darry's chest causing his breathing to quicken ever so slightly. She started to lightly kiss his neck and pull him towards his room.

"You are coming from work, right?" Sodapop grinned ridiculously at Darry and winked at Ponyboy.

If she was ever going to marry a nice, handsome man who had some great looking muscles now, she wanted to make sure his younger brothers would like her.

Tiffy chose that time to slip her hands underneath Darry's drenched T-shirt, but he caught her hands and removed them from his body.

"I'd watch those wise remarks if I were you Sodapop Patrick," Darry warned. "…and that's not going to work," Darry turned to Tiffy.

Feeling the heavy tension in the air, Tiffy suggested that Cherry and Leah needed to return home with her promptly. The three girls then left with a brisk pace.

Darry felt like such an idiot. He loved the affection he received from Tiffy, but he couldn't let her take his mind off disciplining his two younger brothers.

"So, do you two want to explain yourselves before I pronounce sentence?" Darry more demanded then asked.

"We were hungry and decided to eat pizza," said Soda. "We'd let you have some, but we ate it all."

"I meant about having certain company over," Darry stated. "You two were supposed to be grounded all this week, and I keep getting reports of all the trouble you're getting into."

Both brothers stared at Darry in shock. He had never let on that he had any idea about what they had been doing.

Darry turned to his baby brother. Ponyboy could feel his ice-cold eyes burring deep into his.

"Ponyboy, why were you playing chicken with Curly?"

"It was his idea," Ponyboy insisted.

"Yeah, that's what Tim told me," Darry replied.

Ponyboy looked up at him. He hadn't realized that Darry had employed Shepherd's gang to be watchdogs for him.

"Sodapop, do you realize that you can only have so many unpaid tickets before you'll be forced to do some time in the cooler?"

Soda looked down at his worn jeans. He hadn't had an inkling of how much trouble his drag racing addiction was causing. He didn't want to go to jail again. He had been in major trouble when his dad came to pick him up, and Sodapop wasn't itching to find out how Darry would handle a situation such as that one.

"We're really sorry," Ponyboy began to wail.

"We just wanted to have some fun," said Sodapop," and one of us had a lot of fun." Soda elbowed Pony who blushed. "Our little baby brother's growing up. He just got his first kiss today…"

"Really?" Darry smirked.

"…and he didn't even spill anything on her," Sodapop continued.

That remark caused Ponyboy to turn one of the deepest shades of red they had ever seen. "I'm never gonna live that down," Pony mumbled.

Darry couldn't help but to laugh as the phone rang. He walked into the kitchen to answer it.

"Hello…"

"Darry?"

"Johnny! How are you, kid? You…Oh…How's Dal taking that?…Yeah, I'll come get ya…no, it…ok, Johnny. Bye."

Darry hung up the pone before relating the conversation to his brothers.

"Johnny and Dally got picked up. I got to go get them from jail."

"Can we come, Darry? Please," Ponyboy wined and begged.

Yeah, you two can come, but don't think you're off the hook yet. I just think that having the three of us there would help calm the kid down," Darry said.

Ponyboy was so excited to go see Johnny, even if it was to get him from the county jailhouse. He was the first Curtis to race madly out the door.

"Get your jacket, Ponyboy," Darry reminded him. "It's cold outside."

AN: Merry Christmas & please review.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter # 12:

Of course Darry forgot all about his threat as they drove to get Johnny who was in tears. Dally was staying behind. He had confessed to the fuzz that he was the one who had killed the soc with his blade. Dally had also managed to somehow convince the coppers that he had made Johnny come with him against his will.

"The worst part is that he's actually proud of it," Johnny explained to the Curtis brothers.

"That would be Dallas Winston for ya," Sodapop said.

They got into the truck, which was a little cramped with four people. Johnny squeezed in-between Sodapop and Darry, who was driving. Ponyboy sat on his brother's lap wondering from the gloomy look on Soda's face, if Darry had taken away his license for a time.

Johnny told them all about what had happened to him and Dallas on the way home. He had never talked so much before. Ponyboy thought he must have really been shook up by the experience, more than usual that was.

"Johnny, you're gonna stay with us for a while this mess gets smoothed over," Darry insisted once they reached the house.

Ponyboy wondered if Johnny staying with them meant that they were still grounded, but Sodapop warned him that he had better keep his mouth shut.

Later that night Johnny asked Ponyboy about what he and Soda had been talking about so quietly.

He was laying on some sheets and blankets on the floor of their bedroom because Steve was on the couch. His dad had beat him up again, and it was really cold outside this time of year.

"We're supposed to be grounded because we didn't do what Darry told us to that night at the drive in," Ponyboy told him. "We were supposed to stay together, and then on top of that Darry caught me…um…well, I was sort of spying on him while he was making out with a girl."

Johnny laughed. "Bet he liked that. I hope you learned something from him."

"Yeah, and then Soda and I have been sneaking out and doing stuff while being grounded."

Ponyboy told Johnny all about the drag races, girls, and everything.

"She's still into you after you did all that to her," Johnny laughed.

"Yeah. I'm pretty lucky, hugh?" Ponyboy said with a smile.

"Will you to shut it? I got work in the morning," Sodapop snapped at them.

The news was out all over the school grounds the next day. Ponyboy and Johnny were treated like royalty by the other hoods of the school while striking fear into other students just by their mere presence.

Ponyboy was usually pretty much left alone because of both Darry and Sodapop's reputation as supreme street fighters, and no one in their right mind wanted to get Dallas Winston angry.

"I expect for the two of you to behave. If you do not, then I will call the police," their history teacher threatened that afternoon.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Waterford, we'll keep these hoods inline," a soc snarled.

Ponyboy was stunned. He knew that she was scared, but neither him nor Johnny had ever caused any trouble in her class.

"So what's it like being famous?" Two-Bit asked them that afternoon. "Was everyone asking for your autograph?"

"What?" Ponyboy asked sarcastically.

"You know, the whole deal with the soc that Dally killed," Steve spoke up. "The story's made the front page of the paper."

"What does that have to do with us?" asked Ponyboy looking at Johnny who nodded back to his best friend. He wanted to know too.

"Well, your Dally's pet," Steve said.

"Like he's not a pet to us all," Two-Bit whispered in Pony's ear.

"Oh," said Johnny giving Ponyboy a confused look.

"Come on Johnnycakes," said Steve, "isn't it obvious? Dallas Winston is a larger than life street hood. He's a living legend, and…"

"…and you're like his man with a right arm," Two-Bit finished.

"Right arm man," Ponyboy corrected.

"You can see why he's still in school at 18," Johnny whispered to Ponyboy.

"Now that really hurts, kid," Two- Bit commented.

The four had reached the playground where the ordeal had taken place, and Johnny felt his stomach flip. He hoped no one noticed that he was getting a little nervous. He almost never went near this part of town anymore, and didn't like walking alone either.

"Hey, it's not his fault he's so much smarter than you," said Steve.

"Nobody loves me," Two-Bit replied.

By the time they had reached the lot it had started to rain.

"I guess that means we're all heading over to your house," Two-Bit told Ponyboy.

"Why you telling me? You pretty much live at our house. You too, Steve," Ponyboy said wiping off the older greaser's smirk.

Darry and Soda were already home when everyone walked into the house.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Darry said looking up from the phone book who was flipping though hastily.

"Yeah," Sodapop agreed," a bunch of wet dogs."

"How was school?" Darry asked.

"Not bad. I like going to school with celebrities," Two-Bit said.

"Anyone give you any trouble?" Soda asked.

"Just anyone decent," answered Steve.

"Anyone hungry?" Darry asked with his phone in hand. The chord twisted around his hand and he tapped his foot repeatedly as he waited impatiently for someone on the other end of the line to pick.

"Starving," Ponyboy told him.

"Aren't you always," Sodapop teased. "I thought all that smoking was supposed to make you not hungry."

"What are we having?" Two-Bit asked.

"Two-Bit, don't you have your own house to bum around?" Darry said. "Yes, hello. I'm calling about the…that's right. The name on the account is Curtis. Yeah…that's it…"

"What's his problem?" Two looked confused.

"Nothing, Two-Bit. Pony, you want to help me with dinner, tonight? Soda asked.

Darry hung up the phone quickly with a hard slam causing Johnny to wince. "I'm cooking, Sodapop. We can't afford anymore of your purple hotdogs."

"He has to bring out his creative side," said Steve. He remembered some of the pranks Soda had pulled when he had still been in school.

"And yet he failed Art," Darry retorted.

"I was just ahead of my time. Someday, everybody will know my name, just like that Peecosta guy," Soda insisted.

"Pacosso," Darry, Johnny, and Ponyboy all said at once.

AN: I want to say thank you to all those who have reviewed and added me to their favorites and alerts.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter # 13:

AN: The part about the paranoid lady and the house is a true story. I just couldn't help putting it in there. Hope you enjoy the chapter, and I have some new stories up if you are having trouble waiting for the next update.

The following weekend, Leah had invited Ponyboy to come over to her house that Saturday. "My parents won't be home all day because they have to work, so I thought that you and I could hunt for that buried treasure you told me about."

"H-h-hunt for treasure," Ponyboy stammered nervously. "Yeah, um…sure…I mean…if you want too."

"I want too," said Leah. "Maybe we'll even get a chance to meet the ghosts of the two brothers. It's supposed to be a full moon tonight, after all." Leah said with a small laugh.

"Uh huh," was all Ponyboy managed to gulp out. "Wait how do you know about that? I never finished telling you the whole story."

"I read about it at the library," Leah replied. "It sounds so exciting. The ghosts of the two brothers are supposed to return on the night of the full moon, and anyone who touches the treasure will fall from the wealthy society and become poor."

Ponyboy had his own thoughts about that. For one thing, he didn't know how his family could get any poorer than they already were. Besides that, hadn't Leah and all her family just moved for the wealthy social society to the poor greaser neighborhoods? Maybe someone in her family had already found the treasure.

"Are you ok?" Leah asked. "You seem kind of distracted. You don't really believe in all this, do you, Ponyboy?"

"N-no. I'm just fine…just fine." Ponyboy told her. Truthfully, he wasn't fine. He felt like a wimp.

"Good," Leah said. Then lets start searching right now."

She took Ponyboy's left hand, and started walking with him towards her house. Ponyboy instantly became nervous again, but this time it wasn't about cursed treasure and ghosts.

Ponyboy wasn't used to holding hands with girls. Leah clasped his hand tightly. She thought that if she were to let go Ponyboy might run away.

"We can look in the storm cellar first," said Leah.

"You have a storm cellar?" Ponyboy asked puzzled. That was unusual. Nobody he knew had a storm cellar.

"Yeah, it came with the house when we bought it. The people we bought the house from said that the house used to belong to this elderly lady who was sort of a little on the paranoid side," Leah told Ponyboy while she got a key to unlock the storm cellar.

"We spent thirty minutes just trying to get the front door open when we moved in," she continued. "There were three different keys to the front door and three different keys to the back door. There was even a separate key that went to the garage door and the storm cellar."

"I guess the lady liked keys," Ponyboy said.

Leah opened the cellar door, and the two peered into it. It was dark and deep. It gave Ponyboy the creeps.

Leah started to climb down the shaky staircase. Ponyboy followed her, but kept looking up at the outside world.

He wasn't paying much attention to anything else, so Ponyboy was suddenly startled when Leah said, "We're almost to the ground."

Ponyboy yelped in a high pitch as he let go of the railing and lost his footing. Without thinking he tried to grab on to the railing, but instead took hold of the flowing sash of Leah's dress. The two tumbled to the cellar floor with a plop.

"It's a lot farther down than it looks, "Leah said.

"You mean you've never been down here before," Ponyboy exclaimed.

"No, never." Leah said slowly.

Ponyboy tried not to panic. He was the man after all, not that his brothers or any of the gang ever treated him like one.

"Look at this," Leah said.

She turned on a flashlight. Now why didn't I think to bring one of those, Ponyboy wondered to himself. He was getting jittery by the minute.

The floor of the storm cellar and its walls were an odd sort of shape. Leah and Ponyboy walked the little perimeter until they came to what looked like some sort of dug out or tunnel.

"Where do you suppose that goes?" "Leah wondered.

"I have no idea," said Ponyboy," but maybe we should go back up."

"Not so fast," said Leah. "I want to check this out."

"Why," Ponyboy asked.

"Don't you want to find out? This could be the adventure of a life time," Leah exclaimed.

Ponyboy didn't have time to answer before something else caught Leah's attention.

"I wonder what that is? Let's go see," she said, and dragged Ponyboy a short ways down the tunnel. They shined their flashlights around. "There it is," said Leah. She ran over to a carved out part of a wall, and retrieved a small wooden box. It was painted with bright colors.

"What's that?" Ponyboy asked. He didn't know why he was now curious. "Open it."

Leah gasped as she opened the lid of the box. Inside was a diamond gold ring with accented rubies. Underneath it was a folded piece of stiff paper. Ponyboy lifted it out and unfolded the paper while Leah tried on the expensive ring.

On the paper was a message. Ponyboy began to read it out loud.

:Here lies the all powerful ring of King Philippians the IV, said to give the royal family their power and riches that were forever beyond their wildest dreams. Only the pure in heart and fearless may possess such a ring for it is truly a magnificent piece of art with a mind all its own. Those who are unworthy beware for you will suffer greatly:

"I think it's a document that goes with the ring like a collector's piece," Leah suggested. "My dad used to have a book about things like that in our library."

"Does he still have it?"

"I don't know. When we moved we had to downsize, and I'm not sure what we kept and what we didn't keep."

Ponyboy looked at Leah playing with the ring. He decided that she looked really nice with a ring on her finger.

Maybe he should keep that thought to himself though. He didn't want the gang to ever catch wind of his emotions. They were already giving him a hard time about Leah.

It wasn't Ponyboy's fault that he liked to spend so much time with her. It wasn't like they ever did anything bad or something they weren't supposed to, not really. He just enjoyed being with her.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter # 14:

Leah and Ponyboy lost all track of time as they search farther through the tunnel. The ring was the only thing they had discovered.

After a while the two found that the tunnel got narrower and narrower until they had to crawl on their hands and knees. It was also getting harder to see, even with the help of the flashlight.

Deciding to retrace their step out of the tunnel and storm cellar, both Leah and Ponyboy were a little dazed when the bright sunlight flooded into their eyes. Standing in front of them loomed four figures.

'It's the ghosts of the brothers, and they've brought friends,' Ponyboy thought with panic before his eyes adjusted. Standing at the edge of the storm cellar were his two brothers, Cherry, and Tiffy.

"No it's much worse," a voice inside Ponyboy's head corrected him.

"Oh my goodness Leah, how did you get so dirty?" Tiffy exclaimed.

It was then that Ponyboy noticed the patches of dirt that covered both himself and the girl that he was becoming increasingly fond of. Leah also had a small rip in her dress. Ponyboy hoped it wasn't very noticeable.

Leah spoke first. "We've been on a treasure hunt," she said gleefully. "We've been searching for the stolen teaser that was left here in a safe hiding spot years ago by Bonnie and Clyde."

The girls laughed. Ponyboy felt his ears redden. He looked at Sodapop. He had a big grin on his face, but the look from Darry told him that he was not at all amused.

"Well, it's starting to get dark out so maybe we should all get inside now," Tiffy suggested seeing that Darry was in the mood to have a few words with his baby brother. Maybe she should have a few words with Leah about the type of boys that lived in their new neighborhood.

Leah, Cherry, and Tiffy turned towards their new homes, and the three Curtis brothers left for their house.

"You remember what we talked about, right?" Darry scolded.

Ponyboy gulped. "Nothing happened," he insisted.

Darry was still chewing him out when they entered their house. Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve were all already there, everyone but Dally.

"Wow! Ya must have that Pony trained pretty well to bring him home without a rope around his neck," Two-Bit commented.

"Very funny, Two-Bit," mumbled Ponyboy.

He ran for Two-Bit, but Darry stopped him, grabbing him roughly by the shoulder.

"Room! Now!" Darry's deep voice commanded.

"Nothing happened," Ponyboy protested again.

Upon hearing this, the gangs' heads popped up, their eyes wide with curiosity.

"Fine!" Pony screamed before stomping off to his and Sodapop's room. Then he stopped and tuned back towards Darry. "Can I see her tomorrow?" Ponyboy asked sweetly.

"Not if you're gonna act like that," Darry replied.

"I'm sorry," Pony smiled.

"We'll see. Now go to your room before I drag you in there," Darry said.

"They say the teen years are the hardest," Sodapop said after Ponyboy was in his room.

"You've proved that enough," Darry retorted.

"Come on Darry, you know Ponyboy didn't do anything with Leah. If he says that they were hunting for burried treasure, then that was what happened. He may be a little old for stuff like that, but that's all it was," Soda defended his kid brother.

"I know," Darry admitted," but if he's gonna act like a baby I'm gonna treat him like one."

"Ok, so maybe his behavior was a little out of control. Let him see Leah tommorrow. You knothing will happen."

"I know, but if he keeps acting that that he won't be going anywhere."

"Yeah," Two-Bit laughed. "It's a good think your parents named him Ponyboy because he's really living up to his name. He's acting like a pony's a…"

"Two-Bit!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter # 15:

Of course Darry couldn't tell Ponyboy that he couldn't see Leah the next day. It was a school day, and the two had already known they were in some of the same classes before they had run into on another the other night at the Nightly Double.

"Cherry told me to ask you if you would ask your brother if he would like to Double , or even triple date again this weekend," Leah said when she saw him that morning in English class.

"I'll ask," Ponyboy said," but both Darry and Sodapop kind of got some ridged work schedules right now."

"So…where you in trouble…you know for…?" Leah's voice trailed off as she tried to ask the question.

"Yeah. I was a little with Darry," Pony admitted. The bell rang the, and two students took a seat at their desks.

"Class, this week we'll be starting our partner writing assignments," the teacher said. "It will be just like the ones you have done in the past, but with a partner. Now I would like for everyone to please choose a partner. Are there any questions before I move on?"

A crumpled up note landed in front of Ponyboy. He opened it up. It red, 'Do you want to be my partner?' Ponyboy wrote the only obvious answer back on the paper, 'yes.' Then he passed the note back.

Later that afternoon Leah came running up to Ponyboy just as he was about to leave with Two-Bit and Johnny.

"I know what we should write about for English class," she yelled. She received three puzzled looks in response.

"We have to write something in English class?" Two-Bit asked as if it were the biggest news to him sense he found out he couldn't chew gum in class.

"What is it?" Ponyboy wanted to know.

"We should write it on the story of Bonnie and Clyde. The real one, not the buried treasure hierocracy that you told me to get me alone with you,"

"But I- I," Ponyboy saw Leah's grin widen as he tried to protest that he had done no such thing. His face was turning red from embarrassment.

"I think our little Pony's in heat," Two-Bit whispered to Johnny. Johnny smiled at that. He knew that his best friend liked Leah a lot, even if it wasn't like a real pony stallion.

AN: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, and that this is such a short chapter. I have some other stories that I'm working on as well. Thank you to those of you who are still actually reading.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter # 16:

The following Day at school, Ponyboy stayed after with Leah so that the two of them could do research in the Library for their English project.

They had been working quietly side by side when Leah turned to Ponyboy and said," Darry is strict with you isn't he."

Pony smiled. "His can be," he replied.

"So what'd you get?" Leah asked him right out.

"Uh…, well actually we got a call from a friend that was in trouble, so…uh…Darry kinda forgot about punishing us." Ponyboy murmured. He couldn't believe that he felt this comfortable talking about this stuff with Leah.

"That was a lucky break," Leah said.

"Yeah," Pony agreed.

"You two better get started on your work before I tell Darry, and Pony gets his butt whipped."

"Ah, but they look so cute together."

They turned around. Steve and Two-Bit were standing there laughing.

"I didn't know that either of you knew what a Library was," Ponyboy shot back.

"Oh, there goes that sassy mouth of his, too."

"Darry should give him some extra licks for that."

"Cut it out," Ponyboy cried.

"Hey, we're just rattling your chains, kid," Two-Bit said.

"I know, but Darry won't think it's so funny," Ponyboy replied.

"Shoot kid, we're sorry."

The two left. Leah and Ponyboy were alone at the table in the school Library once again.

"Does he spank you?"

"What?"

"Darry? Does he spank you?" Leah asked once they had gone.

"He did once. Mom and Dad had just died. I was having trouble coping, so I got drunk at a bar that I wasn't supposed to be anywhere near." Ponyboy didn't know why he was telling Leah about all of this. "Darry grounded me for two weeks, but I snuck out. I got caught, and Darry whipped me." He shook his head at the memory.

It was the first time Darry had had to show them that he was in charge. It had really hurt their relationship, for Darry now had to be the responsible parent instead of the fun big brother like he used to be.

Ponyboy noticed how quiet Leah had gotten. Maybe he shouldn't have said what he did.

"You and Darry have a hard time together," she said.

"Sometimes," Pony admitted. "I can't get away with anything because Darry's already done anything I try to pull."

"Tough," was all Leah said.

The two continued to work on their school project until the Library closed. After that, Ponyboy walked Leah home. Leah had protested, but Ponyboy had insisted. Leah didn't know what the neighborhood could be like at night for a nice girl like her.

Then he dashed home just in time to hear Two-Bit telling Darry all about him and Leah at the Library; not all of which was true.

"Two-Bit you squealer," Ponyboy snapped.

"Have a nice time at the Library?" Darry asked.

"Not all of what Two-bit said is true," Ponyboy stated.

"I doubt that you played with her chest in a public area," Darry said.

Pony's eyes went wide. What was Two-Bit telling him?

"I also doubt that you got scared, and jumped out of a two-story window when she offered you her virginity," Darry continued. "By the way, Two-Bit, nice girls like the one Pony has don't do that."

"Well, I can get things wrong a little," Two-Bit said.

"I think you can get things wrong a lot," Ponyboy stated flatly.

"See, there's that mouth again. It's getting more sassy every day," said Two-Bit.

"I agree with that," Darry commented as he looked up from the paper he was reading on the coach.

"So Pony, tell me about the Library," Darry said.

"We worked on our project," Pony said.

"The entire time?" Darry questioned.

"No, we talked about other things too. I told her that you spanked me."

"You did what?" Darry thought he was hearing this wrong.

"Leah asked me what kind of trouble I got in the other night. I told her about Johnny, and that you had let it slide. Then Two-Bit and Steve showed up, and they were teasing me about ratting me out. Then after they left, she asked me if you spanked me, and I told her about getting drunk after Mom and Dad died, that you grounded me, I suck out, and then you busted my ass."

Darry couldn't believe his ears. "This must be some girl for you to tell her all that," Darry replied.


End file.
